A liquid dispenser is an apparatus that ejects a liquid in accordance with a user operation.
A beverage dispenser that ejects a beverage, which serves as an example of liquid, into a cup C or the like is known as an example of the aforementioned liquid dispenser.
As shown in FIG. 11, a conventional beverage dispenser 101 is provided with a dispenser body 102 that includes: an accommodating portion 104 for accommodating a plurality of bag-in-boxes (hereinafter, “BIBs”) 130 each containing a concentrated stock solution, which serves as an example of a liquid and is to be diluted with a diluent to constitute a non-carbonated beverage; a stock solution ejection mechanism 105 for ejecting a concentrated stock solution of a non-carbonated beverage from the BIBs 130 contained in the container portion 104; a diluent nozzle 118 that is provided at a terminal of a drinking water supply line 108 to supply drinking water (diluent) for diluting the ejected concentrated stock solution of a non-carbonated beverage; a carbonated water supply mechanism 113 for carbonated water (diluent) for diluting a concentrated stock solution of carbonated beverage, which is ejected from a stock solution supply line 117; a cooling bath 115 for the carbonated water supply mechanism 113 and the stock solution supply line 117; and so on, and is also provided with a drinking water supply mechanism 107 for generating drinking water using tap water and supplying the drinking water as the diluent to the dispenser body 102, a gas cylinder 109 containing carbon dioxide gas, a syrup tank 120 storing a concentrated stock solution, which serves as an example of a liquid and is to be diluted with a diluent to constitute a carbonated beverage, therein, a syrup supply mechanism 121 for a concentrated stock solution of a carbonated beverage, and so on.
Each of the BIBs 130 is formed by accommodating, in a box-shaped corrugated case, a bag-shaped, flexible resin container in which a concentrated stock solution of a sugar-free beverage, which is mainly tea or the like, is contained. One end of a flexible resin tube 111 is in communication with the bag-shaped container, and the concentrated stock solution is ejected from an ejection port 119 at the other end of this tube 111. Since sugar-free beverages need to be cooled, the BIBs 130 are accommodated within the dispenser body 102.
On the other hand, a concentrated stock solution of a sugared beverage, which is mainly cider or the like, is contained in the syrup tank 120, and is arranged together with the gas cylinder 109 outside the dispenser body 102, e.g. below a mount on which the beverage dispenser 101 is installed, or a stock/supply room of a store.
The diluent for diluting a concentrated stock solution is drinking water if the concentrated stock solution to be diluted is for a non-carbonated beverage, and is carbonated water if the concentrated stock solution to be diluted is for a carbonated beverage. If the concentrated stock solution to be diluted is for a semi-carbonated beverage, drinking water and carbonated water are used as diluents.
The drinking water supply mechanism 107 for drinking water includes a purification mechanism for purifying tap water.
The drinking water supply mechanism 107 for drinking water and the diluent nozzle 118 are connected to each other via the drinking water supply line 108.
The carbonated water supply mechanism 113 includes a carbonated water supply line 114 for supplying carbonated water that is a so-called carbonator for mixing carbon dioxide gas in the gas cylinder 109 with drinking water supplied from a branch line 112, which branches from the drinking water supply line 108, and generating carbonated water to serve as a diluent to dilute a concentrated stock solution of a carbonated beverage.
The syrup supply mechanism 121 for a concentrated stock solution of a carbonated beverage is for supplying the concentrated stock solution in the syrup tank 120 to the dispenser body 102 using the carbon dioxide gas in the gas cylinder 109. The syrup supply mechanism 121 and the carbonator provided in the dispenser body 102 are connected to each other via the stock solution supply line 117. This stock solution supply line 117 passes through the cooling bath 115 within the dispenser body 102. The carbonated water and the concentrated stock solution of a carbonated beverage are cooled down to a predetermined temperature as a result of passing through the cooling bath 115. The carbonated water that has been refined in the carbonator is ejected into a cup C from a carbonated beverage discharge port 116 together with the concentrated stock solution supplied from the stock solution supply line 117.
The dispenser body 102 has an openable/closable door 103 in its front face. An operation unit, which includes a selection button or the like, is arranged in a front face of the door 103. The door 103 is usually closed and locked, but is opened when the BIBs 130 are being replaced or when maintenance is performed on the dispenser body 102, for example.
Inside the door 103, a tube pump mechanism is provided as a stock solution ejection mechanism 105 below the accommodating portion 104 for the BIBs 130. The tube pump mechanism is for ejecting concentrated stock solutions contained in the BIBs 130, and is provided for each of the BIBs 130. The diluent nozzle 118 is arranged next to the ejection port 119 below the tube pump mechanism, and a cup rest 106 for the cup C, which is a beverage vessel, is provided therebelow. Note that the cup rest 106 includes a drip tray for receiving the concentrated stock solution and diluent that has spread from the ejection port 119 and the diluent nozzle 118, as well as the beverage that has poured out of the cup C.
Upon a user operating an operation panel on the door 103, the tube pump mechanism is driven, which is provided corresponding to a BIB 130 in which a concentrated stock solution of selected tea, juice, or the like is contained, and the concentrated stock solution and a diluent are ejected into the cup C. Otherwise, carbon dioxide gas is supplied from the gas cylinder 109 to the syrup tank 120 in which a concentrated stock solution is stored of a selected carbonated beverage to send it under pressure, and the concentrated stock solution and carbonated water are ejected into the cup C.